FAQ

FAQ

What Is Daily Money Management?

Daily money managers (DMMs) provide personal business assistance to clients who want or need help in managing their personal monetary affairs. We provide a wide range of services, from organizing and keeping track of financial and medical insurance papers, to assisting with check writing and maintaining bank accounts.

What types of tasks will Help Unlimited handle?

We provide the following services:

Bill-paying, including calls to payees regarding incorrect bills and preparation of checks for clients to sign

Maintaining home payroll records for use in preparation of payroll tax reports

Acting as power-of-attorney or representative payee for Medicare

Preparing payroll checks for home employees, including calculation of Federal and state withholding and FICA taxes

Do You Replace Accountants, Attorneys, or Investment Advisors?

As daily money managers, we work with your accountant, attorney, or investment advisor to make sure that all of your day-to-day and personal business is handled with care. Our efforts complement those of these other professionals, and we do not provide tax, legal, or investment advice. For example, one of the most common services we provide to our clients is to help organize information for tax time. Throughout the year, we will keep accurate records and files so that your tax preparer has ready, easy access to the information needed to process your return. For attorneys, we often help clients develop a list of assets to be included in estate planning. With investment advisors, we work with our clients to develop an accurate picture of a client’s income and spending needs that financial planners can then use to help formulate a sound investing plan.

Will I be giving up my independence if I hire a DMM?

On the contrary, the assistance of a DMM is often the piece of life’s puzzle that allows many seniors to avoid guardianship or complete loss of independence. If you find that you are late in paying bills or do not understand certain financial forms that come in the mail, your family might pressure you to move out of your home or turn over your affairs to a legal representative. Often times, a twice-monthly visit from a DMM will allow you to keep your finances under your own control, with the DMM helping you to keep on track and to avoid errors which may have raised the concern of loved ones.

Do You Sell Any Investment or Insurance Products?

No, we only provide daily money management services. Our representatives will never offer to sell you any kind of investment or insurance product.

How much will it cost?

We offer a free, initial consultation to people interested in receiving our services. At this initial meeting, our representative will discuss your needs and the work to be done. We will also try to “get to work” during that initial meeting so you can get a feel for what it will be like to work with Help Unlimited. Our services are billed at an hourly rate. Therefore, each client’s cost will vary depending on the amount and type of work. Typically, more work is needed at the start of the relationship. Our goal is always to develop a system and routine with our clients to minimize the cost. Following an initial consultation, our representative should be able to give you an estimate of expected monthly costs. We bill our clients each month and offer 30-day terms of payment.

How is your staff trained?

When a new staff member joins Help Unlimited, they receive extensive training in our standardized Polices and Procedures, which have been developed over the course of our more than 30 years in business. These policies consist not only of instructions in how to complete tasks with our clients, but also training in ethics, standards of practice, and other available community resources. Our new staff member then accompanies a senior staff member to several client visits to observe and gain on the job experience. A senior staff member will also accompany the new employee on their first several meetings with clients to provide advice and feedback. Some of our staff members have been certified through the American Association of Daily Money Managers. This certification requires passing a written exam, fulfilling an experience requirement, and obtaining continuing education credits.

Do You Conduct Background Checks on Your Staff?

Yes. Before our staff members are allowed to begin training or to see clients, we conduct a thorough background check. This investigation consists of checking national, state, and local criminal databases, a credit check, and interviewing character references who can vouch for the employee’s honesty and integrity.

What Backgrounds Do Your Staff Members Come From?

All of our staff members are either retirees or working parents who bring with them a great deal of experience from previous careers and their own personal lives. As a result, our staff comes from a wide variety of backgrounds. We have former accountants, teachers, government employees and health industry professionals.

How Do You Select a Staff Person to Work With a Client?

The relationship between our client and our representative is crucial to helping our clients achieve their goals. We take great care to match each client with the right representative and make a decision based on specific skills and knowledge, personality, and geographic proximity. Please let us know if you have any special issues or concerns to help us pair you with the right representative.

How Long Have You Been In Business?

Help Unlimited is proud to be a family owned and operated company. We were founded in 1985 and then purchased by Roberta Gosier in 1990. Following 20 years of hard work, Roberta began a well-deserved – but no less busy – retirement and handed the reins over to her daughter, Amanda (aka Mandy), and son-in-law Chris DesBarres.

Are you insured?

Yes, we carry both general liability and a professional liability policy designed specifically for members of the American Association of Daily Money Managers. Additionally, we carry a bond on each staff person to provide an additional level of protection for our clients.

Can you provide a reference list?

Yes, we are more than happy to put you in contact with current clients and other professionals we work with. Please contact us for more information.

With which local organizations are you affiliated?

We are active with the following organizations:

DC Senior Resource Group

GROWS

Seabury Resources

Triad Retirement Living Association

Forsyth County Adult Home Care Advisory Committee

Additionally, many of our staff members volunteer their time and talents at a variety of community, religious, and civic organizations.